R/T Procedure

R/T VOCABULARY

The following vocabulary has been introduced for passing orders and information clearly, briefly, and in a standardized manner. No alternatives are to be used. These words are self-evident; their meaning may be known to the enemy and the purpose ofusing them is to standardize and shorten transmissions, not to conceal information.

(Note.-The vocabulary includes certain words and phrases (marked *) used by the Royal Navy for passing both information messages to "Conshore" fighters and instructions by fighter directing officers to "Conship" fighters. These words and phrases must be known by all pilots.)

SCRAMBLE

"Take off, set course and climb," e.g. "Scramble zero four zero, angels ten". (As this order is normally passed by landline, the height is not coded.)

VECTOR

"Alter course to - (magnetic course indicated)" . Like SCRAMBLE, it must be used with three figure groups, e.g., "Vector zero six zero" NOT "Vector six zero" nor "Vector sixty". For homing course "STEER" is used.

VECTOR PORT (Left)

"Alter course to - (magnetic course indicated), turning to port (left)".

VECTOR STARBOARD (Right)

"Alter course to - (magnetic course indicated), turning to starboard (right)".

REQUEST HOMING

"Request course to steer to home".

STEER

"Set course- (magnetic course indicated) for home".

ORBIT

"Circle and search".

ORBIT PORT (Left)

"Circle and search to port (left)".

ORBIT STARBORT (Right)

"Circle and search to starbort (right)".

ANCHORED

"Am orbiting a visible orbit point".

PANCAKE

"Land, refuel and rearm".

PANCAKE AMMO

"Returning short of ammunition. Wish to land".

PANCAKE FUEL

"Returning short of fuel. Wish to land".

ANGELS

"Height in thousands of feet".

MATTRESS

"Below cloud".

POPEYE

"In cloud".

QUILT

"Above cloud".

GATE

"Fly at maximum possible speed".
(Note: Not to be maintained for more than five minutes.)

SAUNTER

"Fly at lowest possible speed without losing height".

*BUSTER

"Fly at normal full speed".

*LINER

"Fly at economical cruising speed".

BASE

"Home airfield." (Note: With ship-based aircraft this means"carrier".)

TALLYHO

"Aircraft sighted and identified as hostile". (Note: In reporting this, number, type, and height of enemy aircraft should be given.)

TRAMLINES

"Beam approach".

BANDIT(S)

"Identified enemy aircraft." (The number may be indicated).

BOGEY(S)

"Unidentified aircraft". [(Note: Implies "investigate with caution-aircraft may be friendly").

FRIENDLY

"Aircraft is/are friendly".

RAT(S)

"Identified enemy fighter".

*CHICKEN(S)

"Own fighter".

*SHAD(S)

"Shadower".

*SNOOPER(S)

"Low shadower". (Below 2,000 ft.)

*FISH(ES)

"Torpedo aircraft".

PIGEONS

"The bearing (magnetic) and distance of your base from you are. . . (degrees) . . . (miles)".

ORANGES SWEET

"Weather is good".

ORANGES SOUR

"Weather is bad".

*HAWK(S)

"Dive bomber".

*BOMBER(S)

"High level bomber".

*FREDDIE

"Fighter-directing ship".

*FREDDIE INDICATING

"Am indicating myself as fighter-directing ship by making puffs of smoke and/or some other prearranged signal".

*AWAY

"Aircraft is flying away from directing ship".

*TOWARDS

"Aircraft is flying torwards directing ship".

*CLOSE

"Keep near directing ship".

*HEY RUBE

"Rendezvous over directing ship - report when on station".

*CLARA

"Radar screen is clear".

*ABOVE

"Aircraft above your".

*BELOW

"Aircraft below your".

*... O'CLOCK

"Aircraft is clock code sector indicated".

*CENTER

"Center of unit or indicated part of unit".

*VAN

"Front of unit or indicated part of unit".

*REAR

"Rear of unit or indicated part of unit".

*SEE YOU

"Fleet in sight".

*TOUCH

"In touch on homing beacon".

*BURST

"Am about to fire A.A. shells to burst at estimated height and in direction of enemy".

*SALVOES

"Am about to open fire (magnetic bearing may be indicated). Keep clear".

*GRAND SLAM

"Enemy aircraft shot down".

*HEADS UP

"Enemy got through (part or all)".

*WHAT STATE

"Report fuel and ammunition remaining".

*FUEL

"Quantity of fuel remaining".

*AMMO MINUS

"Have less than half ammunition left".

*AMMO ZERO

"Have no ammunition left".

*AMMO PLUS

"Have more than half ammunition left".

*LEFT (Port)

"Alter course to left (port)".

*RIGHT (Starboard)

"Alter course to right (starboard)".

*LIGHTS

"Identify yourself now".

*RESUME

"Resume patrol".

NOTES

1. The word "degrees" must not be used with SCRAMBLE, VECTOR, or STEER.
2. When giving large changes of course the direction of turn should be given - e.g. "Vector port two eight zero", meaning "Turn to port on to a magnetic course of 280 degrees".
3. Air speeds are given and, if necessary, acknowledged in plain language - e.g. 250 = "two fifty" and NOT "two five zero". (The latter indicates a vector). No mention must be made ofthe minimum or,maximum speed of any type of aircraft.
4. It is not correct to say "Climb to angels"; the correct procedure is just to say "Angels". It is permissible, however, to ask a pilot "What are your angels?"
5. Height of enemy aircraft and balloons must be given in thousands of feet, not as angels, nor in code; e.g. "six bandits, fifteen thousand to port".
6. Never say: "Did you receive my last vector?", "What vector are you steering?", "Did you receive my last message?". Pass the information again.

Standard Phonetic Alphabet

When it is necessary to identify any letter of the alphabet, the following standard phonetic alphabet is to be used :-

A. Able	D. Dog	G. George	J. Jig
B. Baker	E. Easy	H. How	K. King
C. Charlie	F. Fox	I. Item	L. Love
M. Mike	Q. Queen	U. Uncle	Y. Yoke
N. Nan	R. Roger	V. Victor	Z. Zebra
O. Oboe	S. Sugar	W. William
P. Peter	T. Tare	X. X-Ray